1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor element, a method for manufacturing the semiconductor element, and a semiconductor device including the semiconductor element.
In this specification, a “semiconductor element” refers to an element that can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics, such as a transistor or a diode. Further, a “semiconductor device” refers to any device that can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics of the semiconductor element; an electro-optical device, a semiconductor circuit, and an electronic device are all included in the category of the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique by which a transistor is formed using a semiconductor thin film formed over a substrate having an insulating surface has been attracting attention. The transistor is applied to a wide range of electronic devices such as an integrated circuit (IC) and an image display device (display device). A silicon-based semiconductor material is widely known as a material for a semiconductor thin film applicable to a transistor. As another material, an oxide semiconductor has been attracting attention.
For example, a transistor including an amorphous oxide semiconductor film containing indium (In), gallium (Ga), and zinc (Zn) as an active layer is disclosed (see Patent Document 1).